FLAGCOUNTER

Month: December 2010

Each and every person in the world anticipates the New Year. They’re all up on New Year’s eve waiting for the clock to strike 12 and when it does, you’ll gets colorful fireworks up in the sky, bells ringing, and frypans smashing. There are certainly a number of reasons why people anticipate badly the New Year. However, there’s one common denominator for all – regardless of your race, religion and conditions. It signifies a new beginning.

In a third-world country such as the Philippines, Filipinos need highly-educated leaders to efficiently manage the deteriorating and not to mention, the discriminated country that it is today. Seeing the current situation and the failure of the present generation to remedy the problem, there is a demand and a big challenge to the next generation who would in turn be the ones to manage this pitiful country. However, current statistics show that a large percentage of the youth, nowadays, don’t even go to school and oftentimes, just go and beg at the streets. In other cases, they don’t pursue college, or highschool or even discontinue elementary.

We can’t rely on statistical data on the percentage of enrolled youth in both public and private schools to falsify the claim that many of the youth are still studying. In some cases, these children are enrolled, but don’t go to school for the fact that sometimes their parents persuade them to work so as to feed the family. If the youth are not educated properly, then what will be the future of this country? You see, if dumb people are going to this country, then there’s a higher chance that the country would experience the worst and opportunistic foreigners will take matters into their own hands.

Unbeknown to everyone, Filipinos are afraid of the intellectuals. It is evident on the latest presidential elections when millions of people opted for the inferior in intellect Joseph Estrada rather than Harvard graduate Gilberto Teodoro. It was most probably the effect of the Marcos regime. That regime may have traumatized millions of Filipinos. Although remember that it was during Marcos’ time wherein we experienced an equal peso-dollar exchange rate. One peso was equivalent to one US Dollar at that time. But all those good things that Marcos did were overshadowed by his infamous declaration of Martial Law. Then we have Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The alleged corrupt president. She was also intelligent proof of that is having obtained a doctorate degree in Economics. Well, she was merely fixing the treacherous mess that the previous president “Joseph Estrada” had made.

Take a look at former President Joseph Estrada. He was included in Foreign Policy‘s list of five former head of states/governments who neither made “a positive difference in the world”, or “fade away into obscurity.” Estrada was a dropout and he was notorious for his corrupt ways – most particularly in the Jose Velarde account due to jueteng. See the effects if an ignorant leader was to be put in charge? Now, would you want another Erap Estrada to rule this country? If you do, all I can assure you is this: It will be the end of the Philippines.

What’s important for every individual in the progression of their lives and of the nation is education. Without education, we live by ignorance. Continue to show ignorance and people will laugh and ultimately utilize it to their advantage and much to your disadvantage. If the youth are endlessly deprived of their right to education then rest assured, when they grow up, they’ll end up as slaves to foreign investors.

Let’s also take into consideration that the quality of education is not that high in the Philippines and the years of study are fewer compared to other countries. If the adults still deprive our youth of the right to education, then the youth might as well have learned nothing vital to the improvement of our country.

Let’s rebuild this country. Let’s learn from the mistakes of the past. Educate the Filipino Youth. This is the demand of the time. Do not deprive them of such opportunity. Sooner or later, you’ll regret it if you do. This is for a better community and for a better country.

Ann Ward, the 6’2″ student who has amazed the judges since week one and has had five consecutive first call-outs and a total of six first call-outs achieving an America’s Next Top Model record, has won America’s Next Top Model Cycle 15. Ann triumphed over the more experienced Chelsey to become America’s Next Top Model.